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The #1 Time Waster for Districts? You’d Be Surprised
Connor Gleason

As a school communicator, you're a storyteller, a crisis manager, a community builder, a social media guru, a designer, and so much more. You wear countless hats, juggling a multitude of tasks to keep your school community informed and engaged (and so much happens behind the scenes!) But during this whirlwind of activity, there's always one task that feels like a relentless time thief: email.

Yes, email. That essential tool that we all rely on can quickly become digital quicksand, eating up hours of valuable time each week. "You've got mail" is an understatement—last year alone, the US sent nearly 10 billion emails every day. Between drafting newsletters, sending updates, and managing distribution lists, it can feel like you're chained to your inbox.

And the data confirms it: Finalsite's 2025 District Communications Report revealed that 72% of school communicators are spending 1-5 hours per week just on emails. Several respondents even said they spend five hours or more every week on email—that's a significant portion of your work week dedicated to a single task. It's precious time that could be better spent on relationships, developing creative content, and working toward your district’s communication goals.

OK ... email is still a critical communication channel, but it doesn't have to dominate your work week. There are ways to streamline your process, maximize your efficiency, and ensure your messages are reaching your audience.

Stop the Time Suck: Tips for School District Email Communications

Ready to reclaim those lost hours and break free from the never-ending email vortex? Here's how:

1. Consolidate Your Tools

Are you constantly switching between different platforms for emails, texts, and voice calls? Stop the madness! It’s inefficient and a recipe for errors and going off-brand. Imagine the frustration of sending a crucial message to the wrong group or forgetting to remove that placeholder text.

Messages XR E screenshot

Instead of spreading your efforts across multiple fragmented platforms, find a single system that acts as a central communications hub. This allows you to transition between email, text, and voice calls, all while maintaining a consistent brand voice and ensuring your contact information is always up-to-date—because it’s pulling from one source.

  • No more toggling between screens: Draft an email, send a text message, and schedule a voice call, all from the same dashboard.
  • Consistent branding and messaging: Ensure a unified voice and look across all your communications, no matter the channel.
  • Simplified contact management: Maintain a single, up-to-date email list for all your contacts and your communication needs.

2. Automate, Automate, Automate

Think about all the routine emails that clog your inbox and demand your attention: attendance reminders, event notifications, lunch balance alerts. These recurring tasks, while important, can steal valuable time from more strategic initiatives.

Burnsville Eagan Savage District 191 workflow screenshot

With automation, you can free yourself from this repetitive cycle. Automated workflows not only save you time but also reduce the risk of human error and ensure that important messages are delivered consistently and reliably. This frees you to focus on other important work, like finally getting to those website updates you’ve been putting off…

  • Reclaim your time: Stop manually sending the same messages and email campaigns week after week.
  • Reduce errors: Automated systems minimize the risk of human error in your communications.
  • Focus on strategy: With routine tasks off your plate, you can dedicate more time to planning effective communication strategies and content.

Keep Reading: 30 Tips for Better Emails, Newsletters, & District Communications

3. Target Your Audience

It's tempting to blast everyone with every message, hoping something sticks. But this "spray and pray" approach often leads to disengaged audiences and overflowing inboxes. Instead, treat your audience with respect by segmenting your contact lists and tailoring your communication accordingly. 

That way, parents, staff, and students receive only the information that’s relevant to them, increasing the likelihood that your messages will be read, understood, and acted upon.

  • Increase relevance: Ensure parents, staff, and students receive only the information they need.
  • Boost engagement: People are more likely to read and respond to messages that are relevant to them.
  • Reduce the stress: Avoid contributing to inbox overload with targeted, purposeful communications.
email on tablet mockup

4. Make it Mobile-Friendly

Parents are constantly on their phones, only consuming information in bite-sized chunks (guilty!). If your emails aren't optimized for smartphones and tablet devices, you risk your message getting lost in the shuffle.

This means writing emails with clear, concise language, using a mobile-responsive design that adapts to any screen size, and placing key information at the top of your message where it's most likely to be seen.

  • Clear, concise language: Get to the point quickly and use easy-to-read formatting.
  • Mobile-responsive design: Ensure your emails display correctly on any screen size.
  • Prioritize key information: Place the most important details at the top of your email.

5. Track Your Results

We get it — it's easy to feel like you're sending messages into a void, unsure of their impact or effectiveness. But with the right tools, you can gain insights into how your audience is interacting with your communications.

email send rate graphic

Stop wasting time and start tracking delivery rates and other engagement metrics so you can see the impact of your efforts, identify areas for improvement, and refine your communication strategy. You’ll become a more effective communicator because you’ll know if your messages are hitting the right people at the right time.

  • Measure your impact: Understand how your audience is interacting with your messages. Are they receiving your content?
  • Identify areas for improvement: See what's working and what's not to refine your communication strategy.
  • Demonstrate your value: Show your school leadership the impact of your communication efforts with concrete data. If you’ve made changes based on data and they’ve improved, share that success!
Messages delivery rate graphic

6. Find a Communications Solution That Works for Your District

Want to put these tips into action? Look for a communication platform or provider that can help you:

  • Reach your entire community: Choose a communications solution that allows you to send messages across multiple channels, including email, text, voice, and social media. The ability to translate your messages and send them to your families’ preferred devices will help reach even more users.
  • Simplify your workflow: Find a provider that offers tools to manage your contacts, create targeted groups, and automate routine communications.
  • Gain insights: Select a platform that provides analytics and reporting to help you track message performance and improve engagement.

Key Takeaway

Email is important, but it shouldn’t require hours and hours of your time just to draft, edit, and send an email. Centralize and streamline your school district’s communication efforts—the right solution will free up your time AND empower you to connect with your community in more meaningful ways.

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Connor Gleason Headshot

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Connor has spent the last decade within the field of marketing and communications, working with independent schools and colleges throughout New England. As Finalsite’s Senior Content Marketing Manager, Connor plans and executes marketing strategies and digital content across the web. A former photojournalist, he has a passion for digital media, storytelling, coffee, and creating content that connects.


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